A Song Turns 50

50 years old? How can that be? Here's the story behind "The Girl From Ipanema" and here's the song.

Time Travel

This list of the 25 best time travel books of all time reminded me of the extraordinary premise of Connie Willis's Doomsday Book: that in the future historians will have the ability to travel back in time to conduct research. I find the thought to be intriguing in terms of how to present history to a population that is visually-oriented. You don't just read about a period of time, you visit the place. [In Doomsday Book, the time travelers to the 1300s have their noses treated so they won't be overcome by the smell.] 

If you are running a museum, do you turn it - at least partially - into a theme park to convey the feel of the times? Consider what may be done with special effects. Some museums have already gone in this direction.

Bad Management and Penn State

This article on the Penn State case should be read by every executive and manager. Unfortunately, it is far too easy to imagine how these people got sidetracked from doing the obvious thing. They thought of everyone but the victims.

Calling child welfare? How about calling the cops?

Art Break: Utz

Art Contrarian looks at the work of illustrator Thornton Utz.

Employers and Healthcare

HR Hero analyzes what employers will have to do in the wake of the Supreme Court's decision on Obamacare. Since my consulting firm helps employers on EEO issues and since disability discrimination is already a high area of vulnerability due to the ADA Amendments Act, we'll be carefully reading the federal regulations which will emerge from this in order to see if there are areas of potential conflict. 

Coffeehouse Conversation

The conversation was about politics and that led me to jot down a thought about management. The talk then shifted to religion and I quickly made note of an idea about a community project. The less attention paid to certain subjects, the more they indirectly gained. By the time our conversation ended, I had half a page filled with ideas generated by a casual conversation over a cup of coffee.

Quote of the Day

Life is too short to stuff a mushroom.

- Shirley Conran

Music for Sunday Night

The Jay Ungar and Molly Mason Family Band with "Ashokan Farewell."
The Commitments with "Mustang Sally."
Nate King Cole with "When I Fall in Love."

Yankee Doodle

A brief preview in anticipation of the 4th of July: James Cagney and staircase.

Find Something Beautiful Today